In various experiments, students use washers as weights to quantify the force applied through a string to pull their vehicles, and they use wood blocks to quantify a vehicle's load. In addition to weights, the teams use propellers and rubber bands to propel their vehicles, so they observe the forward reaction caused by forcing air backward.
After exploring basic concepts of motion, the teams design vehicles to meet specifications and then they test the vehicles. Students practice developing their designs within the confines of cost and availability of materials. They also get practice in mechanical drafting, through both following and developing two- and three-view drawings of vehicles.